Former President Donald Trump received a request from Democrats on Thursday to testify under oath next week at his own impeachment trial.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the lead impeachment manager, made the request as part of the preparations for the trial that will examine whether Trump played a role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“In light of your disputing these factual allegations, I write to invite you to provide testimony under oath,” Raskin wrote in a letter to Trump.
Raskin requested Trump respond by Friday afternoon.
Earlier this week, attorneys for Trump filed briefs in the impeachment proceedings that called the trial partisan and unconstitutional. His lawyers have urged a quick dismissal.
Feb. 4, 202101:32
Last month, the House impeached Trump for a second time, charging him with “incitement of insurrection” for his role in the violent riot by a pro-Trump mob in the U.S. Capitol that left several people dead and terrorized lawmakers as they sought to affirm President Joe Biden’s victory.
In his letter Thursday, Raskin noted that former Presidents Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton “both provided testimony while in office” and cited a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that found that a president is not immune from criminal prosecution.
“So there is no doubt that you can testify in these proceedings,” Raskin wrote.
“Indeed, whereas a sitting President might raise concerns about distraction from their official duties, that concern is obviously inapplicable here,” he added. “We therefore anticipate your availability to testify.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
